The R-GAS™ technology has been successfully operated at pilot-scale (18 tons per day) on sub-bituminous coal, bituminous coal, high ash fusion temperature anthracite coal, and petroleum coke-all with excellent test results. This testing has been conducted at GTI’s pilot-scale facility located on an 18-acre campus right outside of Chicago, IL with more than 1,300 hours of hot fire testing achieved since commission of the pilot plant in December 2009.

The most recent long-duration testing was completed in December 2016 with a very high ash fusion temperature anthracite coal, which is predominant in China. This series of tests validated the robustness of the R-GAS™ process, demonstrating the capability to achieve >99% carbon conversion even with this low rank coal.

“Yangquan is one of the largest coal producers in China. This technology offers a step-change improvement in efficiency and cost over current gasification technology and is uniquely capable of gasifying China’s low-rank coal,” notes Mr. Zhai Hong, Chairman of Yangquan Group. “Coal is a leading energy choice in China, and finding the most cost effective and environmentally-friendly ways of using it will help to maintain its role as a vital contributor to our economy.”

The demonstration plant will validate long-duration reliability, operability, and capital costs. Commercial versions of the new gasifier will be about one-tenth the size of competing entrained flow…